The police arrived at a very strange crime scene. A shopkeeper had called them to say that a hold-up was taking place in the park across the street. The police got there pretty quickly, only to find something they didn't expect. The elderly couple, who were supposed to be the victims, were walking out of the park, smiling and relieved. And the robber was laying near the kiddie swings, bloodied, battered and tied with his own pants.
"We were just taking a shortcut through the park," the old man said, "when this young punk came at us with a gun, and demanded our money. It's getting so that it's not safe to walk in the streets these days!"
"What happened then?" one of the cops asked.
"Then that wonderful man arrived," the old woman replied.
"Man?" the cop asked.
"The nice man with the hat and the musical laugh," she said. "He looked a little like Jimmy Cagney."
"He was kind and brave," the man added. "He saved our lives. I wish there were more people like him."
Meanwhile, the other cop was asking the beaten robber what had happened.
"It wasn't human!" the robber exclaimed. "It was like a monster out of a Karloff movie! And it had this horrible, scary laugh! It beat the hell out of me! I'm lucky to be alive! Somebody should do something about that . . . that thing!"
The two cops told each other the conflicting stories, and came to a conclusion, "Looks like The Shadow again!"
The next morning, Detective Pierce was eating breakfast at his desk, and listening to the radio report of this event.
" . . . Police have determined that this is another case where the mysterious Shadow is responsible. The alleged robber is in the hospital and is expected to recover. Meanwhile, the whole city is wondering what to make of the Shadow. Some say he's a mob hitman. Others say he's a serial killer who preys on criminals. Still others thing he's an urban legend. So far, no one, not even the police, have any answers to the question--Who is the Shadow?"
Pierce turned off the radio. His partner, Detective Van Ness, arrived just in time to catch the end of the report.
"You heard?" Pierce asked.
"Yup," Van Ness said. "When the Shadow makes news, everyone talks about it. I heard it from five people since I got here." Van Ness sat down.
"What do you make of this guy?" Pierce asked. "Is he a maniac? A mob enforcer? A superhero gone over the edge? Someone out for revenge cause criminals killed his family or something? We've been at this for weeks and I don't have a freakin' clue!"
"He ain't leaving too many clues behind, that's for sure," Van Ness said. "He's a smart one."
"Look at these descriptions we get from the people who've seen him," Pierce said. "Either he's Sir Lancelot, or he's a demon from Hell!"
The Deep Zoo was a bar which was mostly a hangout for the criminal element. This is where petty crooks looking for work went to find some odd jobs, or where successful criminals went to brag a bit. Sometimes, members of the underworld just like to commiserate about things. Right now, the big topic of conversation was the Shadow.
"Gotta be an FBI hitman," one said. "They can't convict us through the courts, so they send this guy to do the dirty deed for them."
"Nah!" another one said. "It's some kinda cult. I bet there's dozens of these Shadow guys out there."
"I don't believe there is any Shadow!" a third man said. "It's just a propaganda stunt by the cops to scare us."
"I know a lotta guys who'd argue with ya," the first man said, "if they were alive."
"How do you know the Shadow killed 'em? Huh? Coulda been the cops!"
A large man with a limp and a scar came closer. "He's real! Real as you 'n me! He gave me this scar. He put a bullet in my leg! He's out there! I'm proof of that!"
"You saw him?" the second man asked. "So what was he like?"
"I can't describe him!" said the man with the scar. "He was like . . . The devil!"
Across the room, two other small time thugs were talking. One was Sam and the other was called Swell Eddie.
"I ain't worked in weeks," Sam said. "This Shadow guy scares the snot outta me!"
"I 'm not scared'a no Shadow," Swell Eddie said.
"Then you're nuts!" Sam responded.
"Nah! I'm charmed!" Swell Eddie replied.
"Huh?"
Swell Eddie pulled out of used bullet on a chain. "See this! It's one'a his. This belonged to the Shadow. And ever since I got it, thing've been great for me!"
"What are you talkin' about, Eddie?"
"A few months ago, when this Shadow guy first started making news, I got lucky enough to stumble on the scene of one of his attacks. I didn't know that at the time. I found that out later. At first, I thought it was a mob hit. Laying right at my feet was a spent bullet. I dunno why, but something told me to take it. Some guardian angel must've been whispering in my ear. Cause ever since I got it, my luck has changed. I've been on a role in gambling and in stealin'. And best of all, I survived the downtown warehouse massacre."
"You did?" Sam asked, surprised.
"Sure did! I was working for the Deacon when the Shadow burst in. He shot up the whole place. Killed everyone in sight. Everyone but me. I got out without a scratch! This little bullet protects me. Long as I got it, I ain't scared of nobody. In fact, I dare the Shadow to try and get me."
Just then, the sound of bullets was heard. Everyone dived for cover. Some of the criminal consumers returned fire but they didn't survive long. Blood and bullets were everywhere. Swell Eddie's confidence faded as Sam was hit by a stray bullet. Eddie dived for cover. Within a minute, everyone who could escape had run, and the rest were either dead, wounded, or hiding under tables.
Swell Eddie peaked out from under the chair where he was hiding, to see who the instigator of this carnage was. He immediately recognized the dark figure who was walking through the center of the room . . . It was the Shadow!
Swell Eddie gulped. No sooner had he dared the Shadow to find him, then did the Shadow appear, shooting. Some people say that the Shadow had supernatural powers. Did he know that Eddie had dared him?
The Shadow walked through the bar, looking down at the huddled criminals. He studied each face. Was he looking for someone? Was he reading their minds? Was he looking for Eddie? No, no, Swell Eddie decided. I'm being paranoid.
The Shadow seemed to be heading his way, closer and closer. But he was distracted by the owner of the bar who pulled a gun on the Shadow. The Shadow beat him to the draw and put a slug in the owner's shoulder. The Shadow grabbed the owner by the collar. "I do not like it when people shoot at me!" The Shadow said in a cold, scary voice. "Be thankful that I allow you to live. You will not get the same consideration twice. Remember that when I return!"
The Shadow threw the bar owner across the room. While this was happening, Swell Eddie and a few others made a break for the door. They made it outside and scattered. Swell Eddie was creeping nervously through some back alleys, looking over his shoulder, jumping at every sound. I'm being ridiculous, he thought. The Shadow probably wasn't after me. He could have been after anyone in the Deep Zoo. Anyway, I got away again. My charm is still working.
Stepping cautiously out of an alley, Swell Eddie noticed a solitary car driving up the quiet street. A cab. He casually glanced over at the occupant of the back seat. To his shock, he saw a familiar silhouette, and hat. It looked like the Shadow! Swell Eddie ducked into the shadows. The cab slowed to a stop. Swell Eddie peaked out. He couldn't see the man inside too well, but he appeared to be looking in Eddie's direction. Eddie pulled back further into the alley and flattened himself against the wall. He held his breath, until he heard the cab pull away. He let out a sigh of relief. He peaked out of the alley to see that the coast was clear. Heart pounding in his chest, he ran for home.
Swell Eddie sat on the cot in his small apartment, head buried in his hands. He mind was in turmoil. Was the Shadow searching the neighborhood for him? Three times now, since he picked up his charm, he'd crossed the Shadow's path. Did the Shadow have some mystic connection with his bullet and could trace it? Had the Shadow heard his challenge? He tried to drive the thoughts from his mind. The Shadow is NOT after me! he told himself. There's nothing to worry about.
A few days later, Swell Eddie was starting to get over his fear. He had convinced himself that he was totally safe from the Shadow. He had just gotten word that the Deacon needed some work done. The following morning, he was on a loading dock at the pier. The Deacon needed some men to unload some illegal cargo. While taking the goods from the ship to the trucks, the men engaged in some conversation.
"Whatta you guys think about the Shadow?" Swell Eddie asked.
"Bad news!" one said.
"Don't mention that name to me!" another said. "He killed my brother!"
"He can turn invisible, I hear." a third added.
"He can read minds, y'know!" the first replied.
Swell Eddie panicked. Read minds! Did he know that Eddie challenged him? Did he know that Eddie had one of his bullets? Did he know that Eddie had escaped him three times? Is he reading my mind right now?
"Hey, let's get a move on, huh Eddie!" someone yelled.
Swell Eddie nodded and moved faster. He tried not to think about the Shadow anymore. Anyway, he was probably safe here. The Shadow wouldn't dare show his face against so many of the Deacon's men, along with all this hired help. Yeah, a guy who hides in the shadows has no guts.
An explosion rocked the area. People were knocked over and debris were flying every which way, striking some of the Deacon's men. Then gunfire. More of the hoods were mowed down. Swell Eddie looked around and saw that half of the force which he was so sure he could hide behind was gone. The rest were scattered and disorganized. Some of them were looking for their mysterious assailant but no one could be seen.
Swell Eddie heard the words He can turn invisible, y'know in his head. The Shadow?!
Then they all heard that laugh, that notorious laugh that terrified everyone who heard it. The laugh of someone not quite human. The laugh of the Shadow.
Eddie ran for cover. Let the rest of these morons try and fight this spook! He was getting out of here. Swell Eddie was convinced that he was the one that the Shadow was after. As soon as he thought that the Shadow had no guts, the Shadow came. It couldn't be a coincidence. The Shadow could read minds, that was the only answer. He knew that Eddie was mocking him and that he was using one of the Shadow's own bullets as a good luck charm . . . And he wasn't happy about it! He's gonna kill me!
Eddie almost made it safely out of range but then got caught in the back of the shoulder by a bullet. He screamed and fell. Clutching his bleeding arm, he looked back. The fight was still going on. He couldn't see the Shadow but someone was still shooting and he still heard that demonic laugh.
He almost got me! Swell Eddie thought. He almost killed me this time! Eddie managed to crawl away to safety while the rest were left to fend for themselves.
Swell Eddie was in the office of 'Sawbones', an underworld doctor who took care of guys like Eddie who didn't want to bring attention to themselves by going to a hospital emergency room.
'Sawbones' had taken the slug out of Eddie's arm and was stitching him up. Eddie's mind was in a wild panic.
He almost got me that time, Eddie thought. He's getting closer and closer every time. He won't stop. Sooner or later he's gonna get me! Is he reading my mind right now? Does he know where I am? Hey, look, I'm sorry Mr. Shadow, sir! I never meant any of the things I said or thought. It was just stupidity on my part. You're the real thing. It's your city. You're the boss!
Swell Eddie took off the chain with the bullet on it and looked at it sadly.
The doctor had finished. "All set, Eddie boy," he answered as he tossed the bullet he removed in the trash. Eddie watched him do this, and then Eddie threw his good luck charm in the trash too.
"What'd you do that for?" 'Sawbones' asked
"Better ya don't know, Doc. Just throw it away!"
Eddie was at the bus station with his ticket in his hand. It was almost time to board. He picked up his bag and took one last look around. If you can hear me, Mr. Shadow, I'm leaving. I'm getting out of your city. You'll never have to worry about me again. And I promise I'll never even think about calling you a coward again.
"Bus 815 now boarding!" said the PA announcement. Eddie lugged his suitcase into the bus and didn't look back.
The museum administrator was going over the list of shipments he had received in the last few months. The Shipments Received room was almost full. He'd been away and things had piled up. Nothing gets done unless I do it my damn self! he thought.
He came across a large crate. It was from China . . . And it had been opened. He remembered the day it came, but never remembered it being opened. He looked inside. Nothing was in it!
"A robbery!" He thought and rushed to inform security. But then he noticed something.
The door to the inventory clerk's office was open. The inventory clerk's office was in the rear of the Shipments Received room. But there was no inventory clerk, not anymore, due to cutbacks. That door should be locked. And only he had the key. And there was a light on inside. Who could be in there?
He didn't want to be paranoid. It may be just a security guard sneaking a smoke. He'd look pretty stupid alerting the whole building if it turned out to be nothing. He decided to look for himself. He grabbed a nearby plank of wood that had come from the open crate and crept over to the door. Carefully he peeked inside . . .
. . . And a hand came out and grabbed him by the throat! He was yanked into the office. The door slammed closed, and a sinister laugh was heard. A laugh not unlike that of the Shadow!
Next Issue: Dark Beginnings continues as the Shadow faces his greatest foe!